Plaited fabric



Feb. '11, 1930. L. OBER PLAITED FABRIC Filed NOV. 9, 1926 Patented Feb.11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEONARD OBER, OF BALTIMORE,MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE LEDOR COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ACORPORATION OF MARYLAND PLAITED FABRIC Application filed November 9,1926. Serial No. 147,349.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of plaiting fabrics,and to the article obtained thereby.

This invention while not limited thereto,

is peculiarly adapted to, and will be described hereinafter inconnection with lamp shades from a limp fabric. In making such articles,

a limp fabric is provided with plaits which are of substantially uniformdimensions, and 1 which are permanently held in their proper relation toeach other, so that the plaited article may be readily and easilyapplied to a lamp shade frame in the course of assembling the lamp shadeitself.

Heretofore it has been difficult and expensive to make plaited coversfor lamp shades from limp fabric. It has been customary to gather andplait the edges of the fabric by hand, and by hand sewing to secure itto the shade frame: a great amount of care was required in obtaining theplaits exactly in the proper directions, and it is obvious that adeparture of any plait from the proper direction would result in animperfect and objectionable article. It has been attempted to form tucksin the fabric in a sewing machine by use of the wellknown attachmentprovided for such purpose but in practice the plaits are not uniform inwidth due to differ ence in tensions, and oftentimes with openmeshfabrics, the stitches would pull through and injure the fabric duringthe stretching incident to assembly on a wire frame. thermore, in makingconical shades, only one edge can be so treated, owing to theneededdifference in length of edge in the finished cover. If finer stitches beemployed, the time of manufacture is proportionately increased.

The present invention presents means of avoiding such difiiculties, andproposes an article which is self-sustaining and capable of easyassembly upon a shade frame.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the completed shade.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a piece of fabric with stiffening stripsapplied thereto.

Figs. 3 and 3 are enlarged views of the respective bottom and toplateral edges of Fur the fabric with stiffening strips theron, aftercrimping.

Fig. 4 is asimilar view after the crimped folds have been secured inpermanent relation.

Fig. 5 is a view on a smaller scale than Fig. 1, showing the finishedarticle.

The invention is applicable generally to plaited articles and the methodof producing them, but is illustratively shown and described as appliedin making fabric covers for lamp shades of the frusto-conical, com monlycalled conical, type. A limp fabric such as thin silk georgette is hereemployed in combination with paper stiffening strips.

By limp fabric is intended a material which lacks sufficient stiffnessto retain creases or folds during the usual dry creasing operations, i.e., in the absence of wetting or pressing. Georgette is likewiseillustratively employed as an instance of an open-mesh fabric which isstiffened and reinforced by the paper strip so that the stitchesemployed as a securing means will not pull and distort the threads ofthe fabric nor cause a rupture of the material itself,since thepaperis'ce mented to the entire adjacent surface of the fabric and thestrain is thus distributed for the entire area.

The paper is substantially non-extensible, and hence uniform creasing orcrimping is produced without variable tension in the fabric. Thestiffness of the paper causes it to retain the lines of folds, so thatthe predetermined lines are maintained.

In the illustrative form, a piece of fabric of substantially uniformwidth. and length (Fig. 2) has two strips of stiff paper of the samelength fastened at the lateral edges. One strip of paper is cemented ateach edge so that the paper and fabric are joined throughout theirlength. The sheets of paper are then passed through a crimping machine,whereby crimps are formed in both the paper and the fabric; these crimpsare flattened down to form regular and uniform folds along the length ofeach strip. As shown in Figs. 3 and 8*, when a conical shade is to bemade, it is necessary to have the overlaps at the lateral edge whichwill constitute the base of the shade of a less extent than the overlapsat the other lateral edge. These folds are then held permanently andfixedly in position, for example, by sewing through them by a regularstitching machine of known type. In this way, the fabric has the topsand bottoms of the plaits defined by the stiff reinforcing material.

It is preferred to further stiffen the secured folds by fastening astrip of material thereto so as to take up any longitudinal strainsalong the length of the piece of fabric. Such for example is the biasbinding tape which during the assembly of the shade upon the wire frameis passed around a frame ring and then sewed in place by a furtherstitching which may likewise pass through the stiffening strip. W ienthis so ing has been finished, the tension in the direction of the widthof the fabric between the rings will produce the plaits as determined bythe folds in the stiffening strip, and these plaits may be further fixedby pressing or wet-stretchmg.

Referring to the drawings, the piece of fabric 10 preferably of uniformlength and width is provided at its edges with two strips of stiff paper11 and 12 which are cemented thereto. The strips of paper with adherentfabric are then passed through a crimping machine, different types ofcrimping rollers being employed for the individual strips, so that asshown in Fig. 3, the lateral edge of the fabric which is to form thebase of the shade, e. g., that having the paper strip 12, is formed intosuccessive crimps having a long leg 13 and a short leg 1 1-, the fabric10 following the paper in all folds. It will be seen from this that thelength of the leg 14 is much less than one-half the length of the leg13. As shown in Fig. 3 the strip of paper 11 which will be at the top ofthe finished shade is folded so that the long leg 15 is about twice thelength of the short leg 16. In this way, the length of the paper strip12 after crimping is greater than the length of the paper strip 11.

The folds formed by crimping the paper are then permanently fixedtogether, for 8X' ample by passing a stitch 18 through the successivelegs 13, 1a and 15, 16 as shown by way of example in Fig. 1. Thestiffness and material of the paper prevent tearing by the fine stitchesand assure that the edges of the fabric will be held in predeterminedfolds. As a result, the article appears as shown in Fig. 5, i. e., asegment of a ring, which by an appropriate selection of the length andwidth of the original piece of fabric 10, and of the relative length ofth arms 13, 1 1 and 15, 16, will be of proper dimensions for assemblinginto a lamp shade of the desired size with plaits of the selectedwidths. The method of calculating such dimensions is obvious and neednot be described.

It is preferred, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, to join a binding tape 17 toeach edge of the piece of fabric, by a stitch 19 which preferably passesthrough the stiff paper, and further assists in holding the folds inpermanent position, and resists longitudinal stresses.

The article may be pressed or wet-stretched as desired to seat thefolds, in case of a relatively stiff silk fabric.

The article may be placed on the market in its then condition, or it maybe used at the factory by assembling upon an ordinary wire frame havingupper and lower rings with spacing struts. The binding tape is passedaround the upper ring, for example, and is sewed in place. thenstretched along the lines of the generatrices of the conical shade andthe lower binding tape is brought around the lower wire ring, and issewed into position, Whereby a shade is produced with the plaits thereonin substantially predetermined relationship and size with regard to eachother.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the illustrative formor materials described, and that it may be applied in any wise withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a lamp shade cover, a limp fabric strip incompetent to maintaincreases, a stiffening strip competent to maintain creases formedtherein, means to secure said strips together substantially throughouttheir lengths so that said stiffening strip reinforces said fabricstrip, said strips being folded.

transversely to the length of the strips to form plaits, and means tosecure said folded parts of said strips together.

2. In a cover for a lamp shade of frustoconical shape, a strip of limpfabric, a plurality of relatively narrow stiffening strips, means tosecure said stiffening strips to said fabric strip substantiallythroughout their lengths, one of said stiffening strips being locatedadjacent each lateral edge of the fabric strip and secured theretosubstantially throughout the length, said strips being folded to formplaits, the plaiting overlap at one of said edges being greater than atthe other edge whereby to form a segment of a ring, the edges of therespective plaits being substantially radial with respect to the centerof such segment, and means to secure said folded strips in suchrelation.

3. In a cover for a lamp shade, a fabric strip of limp fabric, astiffening strip secured substantially throughout its length adjacent anedge of said fabric strip, said strips being folded to form plaits atsubstantial angles to said edge, a binding tape to cover the exposedside of the stiffening strip, and means to secure said binding tape andsaid folded strips together.

The shade cover is 4. In a cover for a lamp shade, a strip of limpfabric, a paper stifiening strip, a layer of cement to secure saidstiffening strip ad jacent an edge of said fabric strip, said stripsbeing folded to form plaits at substantial angles to said edge, abinding tape to cover the exposed side of the stiffening strip, and astitching to secure said binding tape and said folded strips together.

5. A plaited lamp shade comprising a piece of limp fabric, a narrow bandof stiff material of the same length as the fabric fastened theretothroughout their lengths, said limp fabric being incompetent to maintaincreases formed therein and said stiff material being competent tomaintain such creases, said fabric and band having folds thereintransverse to the direction of length of said narrow band, and fasteningmeans to hold said folds fixedly together.

6. A plaited cover for a truncated or frusto conical lamp shadecomprising a piece of fab ric of substantially uniform width and length,narrow bands of stiff material of the same length as said piece andfastened at the lateral edges thereof throughout the respective lengths,said fabric and bands having folds therein, the overlap of said folds atthe lateral edges of the shade cover which is to form the bottom of theshade being less than the overlap at the lateral edge which is to formthe top of the shade, and means to hold said folds fixedly together.

7. The method of forming plaited articles from limp fabrics, whichconsists in securing to said fabric adjacent the part to be folded astiffening member extending at a substantial angle to the proposedplaits, folding the fabric and member together to form the plaits, andsecuring the fabric and member together in the folded form.

8. The method of forming plaited articles from limp fabrics, whichconsists in cementing a stiffening strip to the fabric adjacent an edgeto be folded, folding the fabric and strip at a substantial angle tosaid edge to form the plaits, and stitching the folded fabric and striptogether in plaited form.

9. The method of forming plaited covers from limp fabrics forfrustomonical lamp shades, which consists in securing a stiffeningmember to said fabric adjacent an edge to be folded, folding the fabricand strip at a substantial angle to said edge to form the plaits, layinga binding tape over the exposed side of the stiffening member, andsecuring said blnding tape and said folded fabric and member together,whereby said binding tape projects beyond the edge of said fabric.

10. The method of forming a cover for a frusto-conical lamp shade from alimp fabric, which consists in securing to a body portion of such fabricstiffening elements adjacent the top and bottom edges, forming a givennumber of narrow plaits in one of said elements and the same number ofwide plaits in the other of said elements, and securing said plaits insaid body portion and elements, whereby a cover having the form of asegment of a ring is formed, the lines joining the respective upper andlower plaits coinciding with generatrices of the conical shape in thefinished shade.

11. The method of forming plaited articles from limp fabrics, whichconsists in stiffening a fabric along its length for a part of'its Widthso that it will hold creases when formed therein, folding the stiffenedpart of the fabric to form plaits extending transverse to the saidlength of the fabric, and securing the folded parts together.

12. As an article of manufacture, a plaited material comprising a pieceof limp fabric incompetent to maintain creases formed therein, a narrowband of stiff material competent to maintain creases formed therein,said narrow band being of the same length as said piece of limp fabricand fastened thereto throughout their lengths, said material and fabrichaving folds formed therein extending transversely to the direction ofthe length of said narrow band, and fastening means holding said foldstogether.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

LEONARD OBER.

